Federation backs Met chief’s call for 10 per cent police pay uplift

24 February 2023

West Midlands Police Federation secretary Tim Rogers is backing calls by Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley for police officers to be given a 10 per cent pay increase this year.

Sir Mark has warned the Government that he would struggle to meet targets for recruitment and retention while police pay continues to lag so far behind inflation. 

He said he was being “ruthless” in removing rogue officers, but he also needed “to recruit, develop, motivate and retain the talent of tens of thousands of fantastic men and women,” adding, “This is becoming increasingly hard — perhaps not surprising when a cost of living crisis lands on top of a real terms decrease in pay over the past 10 years for frontline officers.”

In response, Tim said: “Police officers are under sustained attack from the rising cost of living, caused by soaring inflation. I know of colleagues who are finding it difficult to put food on the table, all the while they are continuing to protect our communities 24/7, 365 days a year. This is unacceptable.

“And, of course, when other public sector workers go on strike over their pay disputes  it is often police officers - who are not allowed to take industrial action - that are asked to stand in for them.

“It’s hardly surprising that our members are routinely offered the worst pay deals across all the emergency services.

“And they will be troubled by reports in the media that the Government is considering a 3.5 per cent pay uplift this year – that simply won’t cut it. We note that even this has strings attached as it is based on forces’ ability to make efficiency savings. Quite where these further savings will come from remains to be seen, but I’m sceptical they are there.

“My colleagues have seen their pay eroded by 20 per cent over the last decade – for some on the lower of the pay scales it’s even worse. We need more central funding to be prioritised towards policing so our officers can do the vital work they do, keeping society safe, without having to worry about how they will make ends meet.”

Tim said the Government was keen to hail is Police Uplift Programme as a success story which proves it is taking the recruitment and retention crisis seriously.

He added: “Ministers will insist policing remains an attractive career choice based on the fact there is no shortage of candidates wanting to join the service but it is not quite as simple as that - quality is an issue, experience is an issue, vulnerability to the service is an issue.”

Last year, officers in England and Wales received an average five per cent pay increase - still well below inflation - and in the Home Office’s submission to the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) this year, it notes that funding provided through the 2023/24 police funding settlement is higher than agreed at Spending Review 2021, which included a provisional assumption of a two per cent pay increase.

The Home Office submission goes on to say that its assessment is “there is scope for forces to budget up to a 3.5 per cent pay award” so long as efficiencies are achieved.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) has also made its submission to the PRRB and called for a fair pay deal.

NPCC pay and conditions lead Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan said: “Police officers deserve fair pay that reflects their unique duties and contribution to society, including their responsibility to run toward danger, as well as recognising that they are restricted in taking on second jobs and are not allowed to strike.

“Any pay award should recognise the impact of the cost of living on officers and be fully funded.

“We have submitted our evidence to the PRRB and ask that their recommendations to the Government on pay take all of these factors into consideration.”

The Police Federation of England and Wales no longer makes a submission to the PRRB, having withdrawn and called for the process to be replaced with a “truly independent” body.

“The PRRB was not and still is not a fair mechanism by which police officers’ pay can be assessed and negotiated upon and until that changes it will not receive the cooperation of the Police Federation,” said Tim.